Systems and methods for controlling an aircraft's flight control surface

Abstract

In one embodiment, a flight control system is configured to receive one or more pilot inputs intended to effect a particular control outcome for the aircraft, receive one or more current flight parameters of the aircraft, determine whether or not the aircraft is near or in a stall, and if it is determined that the aircraft is near or in a stall, automatically control the aircraft's flight control surfaces in an oscillatory manner that increases the sensitivity of the flight control surfaces and achieves the pilot's intended control outcome.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A flight control system configured to control an aircraft's flight control surfaces, the system comprising:
 a roll mechanism configured to:
 receive one or more pilot inputs intended to effect a particular control outcome for the aircraft, 
 infer the pilot's intended control outcome based upon the one or more pilot inputs; 
 receive one or more current flight parameters of the aircraft, 
 determine whether or not the aircraft is near or in a stall, and 
 if it is determined that the aircraft is near or in a stall, automatically control the aircraft's flight control surfaces actuators to operate the aircraft's flight control surfaces in an oscillatory manner that increases the sensitivity of the flight control surfaces and achieves the pilot's intended control outcome. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pilot inputs are inputs that were made by the pilot using a control wheel or stick of the aircraft. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flight parameters include one or more of the angle of attack, airspeed, roll angle, pitch angle, and yaw angle of the aircraft. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flight parameters include the angle of attack. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the roll mechanism is configured to determine whether or not the aircraft is near or in a stall by determining whether or not a current angle of attack meets or exceeds a threshold angle of attack that is near a critical angle of attack of the aircraft. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flight control surface the roll mechanism is configured to control in an oscillatory manner includes at least one aileron of the aircraft. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flight control surface the roll mechanism is configured to control in an oscillatory manner includes at least one elevator of the aircraft. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flight control surface the roll mechanism is configured to control in an oscillatory manner includes ailerons and elevators of the aircraft. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the roll mechanism is configured to control at least one aileron in a manner in which it is positioned 90 degrees out-of-phase relative to at least one elevator. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the roll mechanism is configured to control both the angles of deflection and oscillatory motions for each of the flight control surfaces. 
     
     
       11. An aircraft comprising:
 flight control surfaces; 
 flight control surface actuators configured to operate the flight control surfaces; 
 a pilot control device configured to control an attitude of the aircraft; 
 one or more sensors configured to sense one or more current flight parameters of the aircraft; and 
 a flight control system configured to:
 receive one or more pilot inputs entered using the pilot control device, the inputs intended to effect a particular control outcome for the aircraft, 
 infer the pilot's intended control outcome based upon the one or more pilot inputs; 
 receive one or more current flight parameters of the aircraft from the one or more sensors, 
 determine whether or not the aircraft is near or in a stall, and 
 if it is determined that the aircraft is near or in a stall, automatically control the aircraft's flight control surfaces actuators to operate the aircraft's flight control surfaces in an oscillatory manner that increases the sensitivity of the flight control surfaces and achieves the pilot's intended control outcome. 
 
 
     
     
       12. A method for controlling flight control surfaces of an aircraft, the method comprising:
 receiving one or more pilot inputs intended to effect a particular control outcome for the aircraft; 
 inferring the pilot's intended control outcome based upon the one or more pilot inputs; 
 receiving one or more current flight parameters of the aircraft; 
 determining whether or not the aircraft is near or in a stall; and 
 if it is determined that the aircraft is near or in a stall, automatically controlling the aircraft's flight control surface actuators to operate the aircraft's flight control surfaces in an oscillatory manner that increases the sensitivity of the flight control surfaces and achieves the pilot's intended control outcome. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving one or more current flight parameters comprises receiving one or more of the angle of attack, airspeed, roll angle, pitch angle, and yaw angle of the aircraft. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving one or more current flight parameters comprises receiving the angle of attack. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining whether or not the aircraft is near or in a stall comprises determining if a current angle of attack meets or exceeds a threshold angle of attack that is near a critical angle of attack of the aircraft. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the aircraft's flight control surfaces comprises controlling at least one aileron of the aircraft. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the aircraft's flight control surfaces comprises controlling at least one elevator of the aircraft. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the aircraft's flight control surfaces comprises simultaneously controlling ailerons and elevators of the aircraft. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein simultaneously controlling ailerons and elevators comprises controlling at least one aileron so that it is positioned 90 degrees out-of-phase relative to at least one elevator. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the aircraft's flight control surfaces comprises controlling both the angles of deflection and oscillatory motions for each of the flight control surfaces.